11/11/2002: Green flash from the sun

From the Astronomy Pic of the Day comes this interesting bit. We've had images of phenomena like this before, but nothing green.

The official caption:

Many think it is just a myth. Others think it is true but its cause isn't known. Adventurers pride themselves on having seen it. It's a green flash from the Sun. The truth is the green flash does exist and its cause is well understood. Just as the setting Sun disappears completely from view, a last glimmer appears startlingly green. The effect is typically visible only from locations with a low, distant horizon, and lasts just a few seconds. A green flash is also visible for a rising Sun, but takes better timing to spot. A dramatic green flash was caught in the above photograph in 1992 from Finland. The Sun itself does not turn partly green, the effect is caused by layers of the Earth's atmosphere acting like a prism.

It's green with envy because it's not the moon.

My grandfather was always talking about this. Said if a good boy looked right at the setting sun, he'd see the green flash.

Now I almost wish I had been a good boy.